Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

अथवमन्य तान्देवः प्रहारं लीलया ददौ । यत्रास्ते दानवेन्द्रोऽसौ चतुर्भिः सचिवैः सह

Transliteration

athavamanya tāndevaḥ prahāraṃ līlayā dadau | yatrāste dānavendro'sau caturbhiḥ sacivaiḥ saha

Translation

ແລ້ວພຣະເທວະບໍ່ໃສ່ໃຈພວກນັ້ນ ກໍປະທານການຕີດ້ວຍຄວາມງ່າຍດາຍດັ່ງຫຼິ້ນ—ແລະເຂົ້າໄປຫາບ່ອນທີ່ກະສັດແຫ່ງດານະວະນັ້ນ ຢືນຢູ່ກັບສະຫາຍທີ່ປຶກສາສີ່ຄົນ.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रमसूचक

• अवमन्य: having disregarded
• अवमन्य: Kriya-viseshana (Converb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + मन् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (converb): 'having despised/disregarded'

• तान्: them
• तान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• देवः: the god
• देवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• प्रहारम्: a blow/strike
• प्रहारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• लीलया: playfully, with ease
• लीलया: Karana (Manner/means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लीला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• ददौ: gave/delivered
• ददौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सम्बन्धबोधक/स्थानवाचक (relative adverb: where)

• आस्ते: was seated/remained
• आस्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• दानवेन्द्रः: the lord of the demons
• दानवेन्द्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: दानवानाम् इन्द्रः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• असौ: that (one)
• असौ: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; दूरवाचक सर्वनाम

• चतुर्भिः: with four
• चतुर्भिः: Visheshana (Numeral modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण (सचिवैः)

• सचिवैः: with ministers/attendants
• सचिवैः: Sahakaraka (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सचिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakaraka (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक (with; accompaniment marker)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator within Nāgara-khaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The Lord ignores the surrounding attackers and, as if in play, delivers a decisive blow while moving straight toward the dānava-king stationed with four ministers—calm center amid chaos.

Characters & Entities

• Deva (Lord)
• Dānava-inda (demon-king)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Lord’s power is effortless (līlā); protection of dharma does not require strain, only divine will.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader Tīrthamāhātmya context indicates a sacred region defended by the Lord; the exact tīrtha is not named in this isolated verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse continues the battle narrative.